Driest desert in the world finally blooms
By Lucas R.
Oct. 17, 2025
Earlier this season, in the Atacama Desert, ancient flowers began to bloom for the first time in months.
The Atacama Desert is naturally dry, so dry in fact, it has been labeled the driest place on earth. As a result, life struggles to thrive there. However, an unusual wildflower species lies dormant in the soil, waiting for the right chance to bloom.
Irregular rain patterns have given rise to thousands of wildflowers, with over 200 subspecies to differentiate from. Usually, the Atacama Desert gets about 0.08 inches of rainfall per year; this year there has been roughly 2.3 inches of rain as of this winter.
With just enough water to germinate these seeds, hundreds of thousands of wildflowers of all sorts of colors and shapes will have sprouted, blanketing the entirety of the Atacama Desert in a beautiful floral show. Before briefly shriveling back up by late November, as this hemisphere is different from the northern side we’re used to. The main difference here is that winter ends in September rather than February.
The government shutdown is on day 17
By Avah B., Abbigale C. and Jai’da W.
Oct. 17, 2025
On Oct. 1 in the U.S., a federal government shutdown began when Congress failed to pass a funding bill and now we are on day 17 of it. This is one of the longest shutdowns in history and this is affecting many people and workers.
There are many that people have when it comes to this and how it might affect them.
According to CBS News, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson blasted Democrats for “playing a political game.” Johnson also said there are “costly political games that are being played by Democrats here in Congress.”
History teacher Mr.Ramos said, “I hope it ends in a week or two.” Ramos added, “I did hear about it and it is not a good thing, it shouldn't be a problem.”
This shutdown can end at any moment when both sides of the party agree on it and we just need to wait to see.
More than 2000 hostages released from Israeli and Hamas war
By Erick D. and Telven D.
Oct. 17, 2025
The Israeli and Hamas war is at a ceasefire with over 2,000 hostages and prisoners being released from both sides due to U.S involvement.
Due to U.S involvement in the Israel and Hamas conflict, advancements have been made towards the release of prisoners and hostages. America has encouraged the two sides to reach a temporary ceasefire. The U.S has worked with other countries to help secure the safe return of civilians. According to ABC News, over 2,000 hostages have been freed because of these efforts. There are still 48 hostages being held in Gaza.
Students and staff from PMHS seem to be in agreement that the U.S should not be involved in the Israel and Hamas war.
Mr. Ben, a teacher's aide, said, “I disagree with the U.S getting involved, however I see it as they have to,” and that, “Us is siding with Israel because they have to, because they have a million connections and probably in some way forced to side with this country.”
PMHS student Christian Blyler said, “I feel that we really shouldn't be involved, but with Israel being our ally I think we really should, but we should only be sending help and aid not weapons and troops.”
PMHS student Zachary Force said, “I do not think that U.S should be involved with Israel unless Israel is attacked.”
The Israeli and Hamas war started in 2023 and has over 67,000 reported deaths as of Oct. 7.
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a runaway inflatable pumpkin
By Zach S.
Oct. 17, 2025
In the early morning of Oct. 8, Ohio police found themselves in a peculiar chase. They weren’t chasing a person or even a car but an inflatable pumpkin.
Apparently the giant inflatable broke free from the front of a local house in Parma Heights, Ohio and went rolling around the town.
According to ABC 6 News, one of the officers attempted to grab the bottom of the inflatable “and when I went to grab it over here, it just took off. I was pretty much in pursuit.” The police also said that “Cinderella's Carriage did indeed turn back after midnight.”
According to The New York Post, a cop wrote in a Facebook post, “The pumpkin was quickly detained and brought to its owner without incident.”
After finally catching it, police struggled to deflate it and stuff it in the trunk.
Cops found this strange occurrence funny and amusing. Some may say the pumpkin was possessed. Luckily, nobody was injured as there was no damage done to anyone's property.
Raja Jackson caught and released 26 days after assaulting a veteran
By Erick D. and Telven D.
Sept. 25, 2025
Raja Jackson Brutally beat former veteran Sterwart Smith while performing at a pro wrestling event.
Raja Jackson and Stewart Smith had an altercation in the parking lot of the event. Jackson's friends and family provoked Jackson by teasing him. Jackson later decided to join the pro wrestling event and go off script. Jackson slammed Smith and punched him in the face over 20 times. The other pro wrestlers pulled Jackson away and Smith was left unconscious. Smith was later rushed to the hospital and announced to be in critical condition but is now on his way to recovery.
Doug Malo, the wrestler who pulled Jackson off of Stew, believed that Raja would not have stopped if he did not pull him off.
According to Yahoo Sports, pro wrestler Doug Malo said, “By the way, work a better double leg, you prick. I’m telling him to calm down. I’m not even fighting. I’m not even being hostile. He’s trying to work and get lower, change positions, and I’m over here having to swim with him, and he punches me in the eye after we’re breaking it up, the f–king loser.”
Doug Malo also said, “I think he would have killed him,” and then added, “I promise you, he would have killed him,”according to Yahoo Sports.
Jackson was sent to jail but was shortly released after his dad, Quinton Jackson, paid off his $50,000 bail. Jackson, after nearly killing Smith, spent less than a day in jail. No further details about his case have been released.
Charlie Kirk’s funeral
By Avah B., Abbigale C. and Jai’da W.
Sept. 25, 2025
On Sept. 10, political speaker Charlie Kirk was shot at a college campus during a speech in front of his wife and one of his kids.
On Sept. 22 at his funeral his whole family was there and waving a flag for his country and speaking for his beliefs.
According to CNN, Kirk's wife Erika said, “I forgive him…Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Science teacher Mr. Coleman said, “ I didn't watch it but I heard about it, it was very sad… I feel sorry for his wife and kids”
Kirk's family is going through a hard time with his loss and his supporters hope for the best for them in this hard time.
Florida nun turns 105; celebrates with a round of golf
By Lucas R.
Sept. 25, 2025
Earlier this Friday, on Sept. 22 a nun by the name of “Sister” René Parman celebrated her birthday by taking her convent out to play golf.
Parman, from the Humility of Mary, headed to the Knoll Run Golf Course to celebrate her 105th birthday along with her sisters.
According to UPI, Sister Parman stated, “I think it helps you to know yourself. I do, really, anyway. And competing with yourself, mostly. I think it's a wonderful place to be– very meditative. It's a beautiful place–grass, flowers and it's quiet.”
Parman wasn't always into golf the way she is now. Originally, Parman worked as a nun from the age of 18, into her 40’s, when her sisters first introduced her to golf.
According to UPI, Parman stated, “They said’ hit the ball.’ That was my only instruction that I ever received,”
Sister Parman now takes her convent out to golf every week or so, even going out so far as to teach her younger sisters the game.
The autopsy on the two boys said they died instantly from a lightning strike. There was no sign of foul play and their bodies were slightly burned.
According to Fox 31, “The fiancee of Porter wrote a post on facebook claiming that they were in the wrong place and the wrong time.”
Colorado is usually ranked in the top 20 U.S. states with the number of lightning strikes but ranks fourth in the nation for lightning strikes fatalities. The National Lightning Safety Council says “No place outdoors is safe.” Lightning can strike within 10 miles from the physical storm.
Is Colorado too dangerous with the amount of lightning strikes?
By Zach S.
Sept. 25, 2025
On Sept 13, Andrew Porter (25) and Ian Stasko (25) were reported missing in the San Juan National Wilderness Area.
A massive search was initiated with crews on the ground and in the air searching for the two boys. The search lasted nearly a week until the men were reported found Sept. 18.
Innocent or guilty? Information from the case with D4vd.
By Allison T.
Sept. 25, 2025
On Sept. 8, the body of now identified Celeste Rivas was found in a car registered to singer D4vd’s name. The 15-year-old girl was reported missing beforehand and sources point to her running away with D4vd.
Rivas was last seen in April 2024, and recently her remains were found in a car registered to D4vd, although he has not been arrested due to unreliable evidence. So far the case is too new to make any concrete accusations. The car did have Texas plates, but was never reported stolen, according to LBC news. D4vd was on tour when it happened, but the body had already started decomposing, implying it had been there a while.
Some people say evidence points to him, especially lyrics from his unreleased song.“Oh, Celeste. The girl with my name tattooed on her chest,” lyrics from the D4vd song “Celeste,” named after the victim.
This does raise concern regarding the fact that they did in fact have matching tattoos (although not exactly the one mentioned in the song). Considering Rivas was 13 when she was reported missing, means she may have illegally gotten the tattoo with D4vd. Screenshots and images show that Rivas did have some sort of relationship with him. One image shows how she was supposedly at one of his concerts in the front row, while he was singing and pointing to her, but it is not entirely clear that it is her.
Recently a video came out where her previous teacher talked about Rivas. “You want to know how they met? Social media,” the teacher claimed, according to Men's Journal.
The police never commented on the video.
Overall, this case is far from complete. So far none of the evidence is reliable enough to make any accurate conclusions. Rivas’s family is being updated throughout the whole case, and authorities are consistently working on it. In this case, time is the best thing to give it for more evidence to surface, which is inevitable.